NATURAL BEAUTY

Natural beauty is everywhere. 

Natural beauty is often overlooked.

Living in the moment is tough, especially with the mental stresses of everyday life. School, jobs, relationships and responsibilities hinder our abilities to simply just be. Our minds wander instead of observe our surroundings, and it's difficult to appreciate the beauty around us unless we are completely invested in it. 

For seventeen years, I was surrounded with my mom's breathtaking creations. She spent countless hours in her garden, tending to each plant, to each flower, to each pedal. She made sure our yard brought happiness and peace, herbs, tomatoes and pea pods. We were constantly visited by beautiful butterflies, dragonflies, tree frogs, turtles and other little, adorable creatures. Looking back at the pictures of her gardens brings me so much joy. She truly enhanced the natural beauty of my first seventeen years of life.
Two years ago we moved three houses down the street from my mom's dream home. The same pond that was once in my backyard is now in my front yard. The pond brings memories of my previous house. I used to look out my bedroom window and see my parents in the rowboat, my mom's feet dangled in the fresh water as my dad navigated throughout the pond. I see the same pond when I look out the window of my current bedroom, but my mom is not in the rowboat this time, her ashes are in the water. It's beautiful.

This summer, I have began to create my own natural beauty. I'm finally grasping the art of gardening, and it's very rewarding. I love seeing my flowers bloom and displaying them in vases around my house. I love dragging the hose around my property, not only because I get to water my plants and fill my bird baths, but also because dragging that hose around gets my heart rate up faster than burpees do!  I've also created a miniature pond in my yard, complete with lilly pads, a water lilly, 5 goldfish and a koi fish! Sitting next to my pond, looking at my beautiful creations while drinking green juice is certainly one of my favorite ways to start a summer morning. Next stop: growing baby tomatoes!

Remember to see, don't just look at, the beauty that surrounds you everywhere. You can create your own happiness by allowing yourself to observe and appreciate the nature that is so easily overlooked.